Monday, July 14, 2014

The ultimate Amsterdam 'Cycling Policy & Design' publication!

3rd
of October 1960 cyclists were banned from Leidsestraat for the first
time ever, and Amsterdam was moving towards becoming more of a car
loving city. Between 1960 and 1970 the number of cars quadrupled. This
had a negative effect on road safety and fatality rates climbed. For a
short while the outlook for cycling in Amsterdam seemed bleak. However,
the Amsterdam residents were determined not to let this happen. During
the late sixties and early seventies, a cyclist protest movement
gathered momentum, gradually forcing the city council to take more
action. In 1978 a new traffic circulation plan was introduced by the
city council, promising to allocate more space for cyclists and
pedestrians by reducing space for cars and car parking. Today the city
recognises the importance of the bicycle as the most valuable part of
its mobility. In comparison to motorised traffic, it requires very
little space, it’s cheap and clean, it’s convenient and quick and it
keeps us healthy. Cycle policy has therefore become an integral part of
the Amsterdam mobility policy. What would happen if all these people
would drive a car or use public transport for that matter? There
simply wouldn't be enough room! The City of Amsterdam composed a
wonderful booklet entitled: 'Cycling policy and design; Putting knowledge into practice'.